Feeling overwhelmed with the amount of single use plastic you’re throwing out? We certainly are! While we are no where near perfect or even close to living zero waste, we are working to make improvements all the time.
Plastic Free July launched in 2011 in Australia. According to the Plastic Free Foundation:
Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?
Plastic Free July is a great challenge to get you started and then keep you going.
3 Easy Ways to Reduce Plastic in your Life this July and Beyond:
1. Start small (you may already be doing these):
Grab a reusable travel mug on the way out the door to your favorite coffee shop and use reusable bags when shopping (and not just for groceries). We like to keep our reusable mesh produce bags with our grocery bags as well so we don’t forget those either.
2. Dine at the restaurant:
Our takeout consumption GREW during the pandemic as we supported local restaurants, but the amount of plastic takeout food containers in our cabinet is well, a lot. Getting back into restaurants to dine-in has been fabulous for many reasons, including the reduction in plastic containers.
Pro-tip: It’s not an easy habit to get started (and much easier if you travel with a bag or purse), but bringing reusable containers with you is a great way to bring those restaurant leftovers home instead of getting another container. Or consider finding restaurants that have more sustainable or even compostable takeout containers (we see you Red Fern & Owl House!).
3. Compost your food scraps:
Are you a City of Rochester resident? Check out the City’s FREE composting program! We signed up a few months ago after they re-opened registration from when they launched last year and love bringing our compost weekly to empty. They’ve already held 2 days where you can go, empty your bucket, and receive a bucket full of ready-to-go composted soil for your garden or houseplants. Not a City resident? Check out Impact Earth for Rochester composting services or do research on composting at home. It’s a great way to keep food scraps from a landfill where they won’t break down as effectively, and put them to good use.
While this may not seem like a way to reduce plastic waste, we’ve noticed a big drop in our use of garbage bags that will end up in the landfill. It has also made us realize just how much single use plastic we were throwing away since it’s almost the only thing we throw away now. And yes, we recycle as much as we can, but the topic of recycling is for another day 😉
Need More Inspiration? Check out these Videos:
We don’t always feel like we’re making a difference in our environmental impact, but “Little by little, a little becomes a lot.” (Tanzanian Proverb). Start small and keep growing!
Ready for Even More? Check out some Sustainable Shopping Options around Rochester:
The Lucky Flea: Indoor Markets
- Radio Social
Flower City Days
- 280 North Union Street
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